New York Fashion Week spring 2014: Ralph Lauren review

NEW YORK -- Jessica Alba looked like a modern-day Audrey Hepburn on Thursday morning at New York Fashion Week, wearing a ballet pink full skirt and black sweater, with cat eyeliner and her hair in a chignon. It was a fabulously flirty 1950s look, but the Ralph Lauren collection she was front row to see was decidedly 1960s.

The look; "Mod Squad" by way of Savile Row. Graphic black-and-white mini dresses in leather or cotton knit, some with menswear flourishes, such as a necktie or a white pique bib, all worn with black knee socks and square-heeled patent leather pumps. Strong black-and-white suiting, including a three-piece windowpane check pants suit. Black-and-white print miniskirts, floral jackets and trench coats. Sweet-looking, white floral embroidered organza miniskirt worn with a sleeveless white ribbed sweater. For the finale, the black-and-white theme dissolved into vivid color with model Karlie Kloss leading a parade of floaty silk gazar dresses, gowns and jumpsuits.

The verdict: While the impulse to go in a clean, modern direction for spring 2014 is understandable in response to fashion's current harried state, this was a strange detour for Lauren. The theme did not lend itself to the kind of rich details and fabrications we're used to seeing in his collections. Also, we just went through a Mod moment during the spring of 2013, with memorable collections from Michael Kors and Marc Jacobs.